What is the impact of cohesion in a liquid's surface tension?

Cohesion is the intermolecular attraction between like molecules, which plays a crucial role in determining the surface tension of a liquid. Because cohesive forces are stronger at the surface of a liquid compared to those in the bulk, molecules at the surface experience a net inward force. This leads to the formation of surface tension, which causes the liquid to behave as if its surface is covered by a stretched elastic membrane.

When cohesion causes a liquid to exhibit surface tension, it results in the liquid forming droplets rather than spreading out. Droplets form as the cohesive forces pull molecules together, minimizing the surface area for a given volume, which is a thermodynamically favorable arrangement. This phenomenon is particularly evident with water, which tends to form spherical droplets due to its high cohesive forces.

While other options may touch on various properties or behaviors of liquids, they do not directly relate to the impact of cohesion on surface tension in the way that droplet formation does. Evaporation rate, temperature, and conductivity are influenced by different factors and are not the result of cohesion in the context of surface tension.